Rotary snap switch



mm M 119%.

C. E. ANDERSON ROTARY SNAP SWITCH Filed Sept. 11; 1923 I face of the base.

Patented @et. 14, 19241 CARL ERIC ANDERSON, OF STRATFORD,CON1\TECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICU'I'.

ROTARY SNAP SWITCH.

Application filed September 11, 1923. Serial No. 662,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARL ERIC AnnnRsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Stratford, in the county of Fain field and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Snap Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotary snap switches, and particularly to a simple and inexpensive escapement mechanism for the switch.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a switch. in which my invention is embodied in one form;

Fig. 2 is a dropped perspective of certain of the switch parts;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the esc'apement parts in one position; i

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts in another position; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections through the base showing difierent methods of mounting the bearing plate.

The present escapement mechanism is applicable to switches of various sizes and types, and is illustrated merely by way of example in a single-pole double-break switch, it being understood that the invention is not in any way limited to this particular type of fitting.

The mechanism is mounted upon an insulating base 15 which is pierced at 16 and 17 to accommodate the lead wires which pass therethrough and are secured to the combined wire terminal and switch contacts 18 and '19 mounted upon the. upper The rotary switch bar 20, which makes and breaks connection with the switch'contacts, is mounted on a carrier plate 21 freely journaled on the rotary switch spindle 22. It is subject to the torsional stress of the switch spring 22,

The lat-.

and receives the thumb piece 28 which is screwed thereon.

The switch bar carrier 21 is engaged by the upwardlyangled lug 29 of the detent 30, said lug entering and playing in a radial slot 31 in the-plate 21. The detent 30 surrounds and is actuated by the cam 32 fast with the spindle'22 and forming a sion 38 is: preferably provided around the aperture of the cup to accommodate the head of a hollow bushing 39 by which the cup is secured in a non-circulating recess 40 in the upper. face of the base. When the base is of porcelain, as in Fig. 1, the bushing 39 passes therethrough and is headed at 41 in the well 42 in the lowerface of the base. When the base is formed of-composition the bushing 41 may be molded therein. It is possible to omit the bushing entirely, provided the well or recess in the upper face of the base is su ficiently accurately formed to the non-circular contour of the cup 36. This is indicated in Fig. 6, in which the bearing cup 43 is provided with a central boss 44 entering a well 45 formed in-the upper face of the base to accommodate the lower end ofthe spindle 22.

It will be noted that in any case the spindle is not held in position beneath the base by the usual securing means, but has free bearing in the bushing and is supported on the bearing cup 36 by the cam 32 which is fast with the spindle and projects laterally from the latter, thus forming a shoulder which constitutes a step bearing for the spindle. The spindle is retained against displacement upwardly by a bridge piece 46 centrally apertured at 47 to fit over the bushing 25 on the spindle and bearing against the drive plate 24:. The legs of the bridge are provided with foot pieces 48 apertured at 49 to receive screws =by means of which it issecu-red to the base. 'The the spindle.

:bridge thus not only holds the spindle in position-on the base, but forms a hearing spaced from the base and serving to steady The operation of the escapement is readily understood Upon rotation of. the spindle 22 thecam 32 fast" therewith, shifts the detent laterally until its nose escapes the ratchet detent teeth 34:. Duringv this rotation of the spindle, the spring 23 is stressed and upon the escape of the nose 35 from the ratchet teeth 34.- the carrier plate 21, switch bar 22, and detent 30 are rotated by. the spring. The detent journalled. on

' the cam 32, which isnow relatively station ary, moves outward and halts the rotation of the parts by the impingement of its nose 35 against the succeeding ratchet tooth.

Various modifications in form of the v-es'capement parts and in the general switch structure willreadily occur to those deal ing with the problem, which donot depart, however, from tion.

what I claim as my invenspindleand lying'i'nthe plane of the detent and-stop plate, said cam engaging the detent and serving on the rotation of the spindle to shift the detent out of engagement with thev t'eeth" of. the stop plate, an insulating base, and a bearing plate mounted on the fagce of the base and underlying and ens gaging-said stop plate. p V

v .25; Ina rotary-snap switch, an escapement mechanism comprising a fixed sheet metal stop Splate apertu'red within itsmargins'to afford. a series of internal stops, a bearing plate underlying said stop plate, a detent lying: in the plane of said stop plate and cooperating with the internal stops of the latter, a rotary switch spindle, a cam fast thereonandion which said. detentis journalled, said cam and detent resting on said bearing plate.

3. In a rotary snap switch, an escapement mechanism comprising a fixed sheet] metal I stop plate apertured' within its margins to afford-a series of internal stops, a cup shaped bearing plate underlying said stop plate, "a detentlyingin the plane of said stop plate and cooperating with the internal stops ,of the-latter, a rotary switehspindle,

a cam fast thereon and on which said detent is journalled, said cam and detent resting on said bearing plate.

4. In a rotary snap switch, an escapement mechanism comprising a fixed sheet metal stop plate apertured within its margins to ing on said bearing plate, together with means for securing the cup-shaped bearing plate to the-base.

5. In a rotary snap switch, an escapement mechanism comprisinga fixed sheet metalxsto'p plate apertured within its margins to aflord a series of internal stops, a bearing plate underlying said stop plate, a

detent lying in the plane of said stop plate and cooperatingwiththe internal stops of the latter, a rotary switch spindle, a cam fast thereon and on which said detent is journalled, said cam and detent restingon tured to permit the switch spindle to pass therethrough.

6. In a rotary snap switch, an insulating base recessed on its upper face to aiford a non-circular well, a hearing plate resting in said well and centrally apertured'to accommodate a switch. spindle, a rotaryspindle accommodated in said central aperture in the bearing plate, a cam fast on said spindle and resting on the upper face of said hearing plate, a'detent surrounding said cam and also resting on said bearing plate, together with a stop plate resting on said bearing plate and aperture to afford a series of internal stops surrounding said detent. v

7. Ina rotary snap switch, an insulating base recessed on its upper face to afford a non-circular well, a bearing plate resting in said well and centrally apertured to accommodate a switch spindle, a rotary spindle accommodated in said central aperture in the bearing plate, a cam faston said spindle and resting on the upper face of said hearing plate, a detent surrounding said cam and alsoresting on said bearing plate, together with a stop plate resting on said hearing plate and apertured to afford a series of internal stops surrounding said detent, together with means rigid with the base for securing said bearingplate thereto.

8. In a rotary snap switch, an insulating base recessed on its upper face tofafliord a non-circular well, a bearing plate restingin said well and centrally apertured to accommodate a switch spindle, a rotary spindle accommodated in said central aperture in the bearing plate, a cam fast on said spindle and resting on the upper face of said bearing plate, the latter being apersaid bearing plate, a detent surrounding said cam and also resting on said bearing plate, together With a stop plate resting on said bearing plate and apertured to aiforda series of internal stops surrounding said detent, together With a bridge piece secured to the base and engaging the spindle at a point remote from the base to steady the spindle and maintain it and its associated parts in definite relation to the base.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL ERIC ANDERSON. 

